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Thanks for the report, and I'm sorry to hear the frustrating news. It sounds like the TPB takes the "P" portion of their name quite seriously.

Perhaps the Alexandria bikers need a lawyer or other representative with experience negotiating these things, and knowing how the committees work. It should help in knowing where the committee must listen etc. If nothing works, at the very least you will create a record that can be turned against the TBP if they become unreasonable.

The board has two year terms.

Time to get more people sympathetic to biking on to the board.

Is there a Less Traffic and No-Need-For-Parking Board?

It was really disheartening that there was so much support and they weren't listening to any of us.

Also, the only reason the anti-bike lane crowd is crying safety is because they know that arguing for the convienence of front-of-the-house parking is just selfish on its face (but the funny thing is that the board would probably support them with that argument anyway).

If they actually cared for safety of cyclists they would *never* argue for sharrows on that streach. If they actually cared for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, they would *never* argue for sidewalk cycling. Those two suggestions are the bulk of the suggestions of the anti-crowd.

They do clearly care about slowing down speed on King Street, but not at the cost of losing their parking.

And the board just plain old doesn't care or (more likely) doesn't want to be forced to make an unpopular decision.

Many thanks for the report and your efforts.

A member of the Board dismissed the over 3000 Alexandria residents who are members of WABA

Sounds like WABA needs to co-ordinate an effort to have those residents contact the board members. And possibly vote/run against them.

Elected officials don't listen to the people they represent unless they are monied shocker.

Those brave enough should just take the whole lane every single time they ride through there until there is a bike lane. That's what I do on the laneless portions of Lee Highway in Arlington I use. At least I'm not dead yet, and the speed limit is way over 25.

Mentioned this on Twitter the other night, but I don't really see a good outcome out of this. If the city drops the proposal entirely, residents (save perhaps the NIMFY's) will know the city is INCAPABLE of commitment to its own policies. Meanwhile, if the city does push through and implement bike lanes on King Street, the opposed residents will claim that the city "doesn't listen to its residents". Of course, given the outpouring at the meeting, one could make the argument that it isn't listening to its residents already...

This is from Alexandria's Traffic & Parking Board website: "The Traffic and Parking Board investigates, studies, and analyzes traffic and parking problems within the City. In addition to devising plans, methods and means to control and relieve parking and traffic congestion; and has jurisdiction over taxicabs and their owners/operators."

From what seems to have been discussed, I'm hearing very little about improving traffic and a lot about preserving parking. At the meeting, did the TPB mention anything about the fact that decreasing the vehicle lane width would slow traffic which was found on that stretch to be an average of 10 mph over the limit?

@bobco85

'At the meeting, did the TPB mention anything about the fact that decreasing the vehicle lane width would slow traffic which was found on that stretch to be an average of 10 mph over the limit?'

That point was stated and reiterated numerous times throughout the meeting by people speaking for the bike lanes.

@bobco85

The Traffic and Parking Board was totally dismissive of the City proposal, but they did not specifically speak to the value of the lane narrowing. The really did not comment on much of anything because they seemed not to be particularly interested.

That meeting or the Traffic and Parking Board was a disgrace. At a time when Alexandria is working to re-energize the public process through the What's Next Alexandria initiative, we need our citizen boards to be relevant, responsive to citizens, and responsive to the City Council. The current Traffic and Parking board is none of these.

The City Council has a vision of a transit-oriented Alexandria that will move the city forward. The mission of the TPB, to study "traffic and parking problems," is no longer important to the many residents who are living car-free or "car lite." We instead need to give voice to broad citizen concerns regarding Transportation and Safety. What we need is a Transportation and Safety Board.

Mayor Euille, who was recently quoted in the press regarding Capital Bikeshare, said it best: “We don’t want people driving their cars and parking, we want people to be using bicycles and walking.”

Write to Mayor Euille and to City Council here: http://request.alexandriava.gov/CCC/#tab=Departments&group=MayorandCityCouncil&service=CNC_GROUP

I seriously doubt that WABA has as many as 3,000 current members in all of Northern Virginia, much less within the City of Alexandria. Such clearly exaggerated claims diminish ones credibility.

One thing that might be beneficial to all the jurisdictional advocacy groups in NoVa would be to find out from WaBa the exact number of members in their jurisdiction.

That said, I doubt that arguments over WABA membership is really that important. The number of people who bike in Alex, utilizing on street bike lanes, is probably a good bit higher than the number of WaBa members.

Organizing is not easy, and takes time.

Removing the double yellow line would slow traffic and increase passing clearances.

@Allen:14,500 people were at BtWD this year. Why does it seem improbable that WABA has 3k members in Alexandria?

In Alexandria, WABA has about 3100 supporters/followers (people who sign up to get email and hear about events) and about 300 dues-paying members. I am thankful for every one of them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jonathan, thanks for those figures. Do you know how that compares to Arlignton?

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